Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins admits he was worried about a "Cup hangover" as his side returned to action after winning the Canadian championship.

Adrian Serioux of Toronto FC, right, gets his leg up on John Wolyniec of the New York Red Bulls during MLS action at BMO Field in Toronto (June 24, 2009). Toronto won 2-0.

By:Daniel GirardSports Reporter, Published on Thu Jun 25 2009

Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins admits he was worried about a "Cup hangover" as his side returned to action after winning the Canadian championship.

And, for nearly a half-hour last night, his fears were realized as TFC looked sluggish against the New York Red Bulls, the worst team in Major League Soccer.

But Pablo Vitti's 28th-minute goal, his first in a TFC jersey, kick-started the attack as Toronto went on to a comfortable 2-0 victory before 20,902 at BMO Field.

"It was a very, very good professional performance from the lads," Cummins said of the win, which moves TFC (6-5-4) into second place in the Eastern Conference at the season's midpoint.

"There wasn't much in the game up until the goal and then I think we dominated the game without really stretching ourselves."

Dwayne De Rosario added some insurance in the 59th minute as TFC stretched New York's winless streak to 21 straight away from home dating to last season.

Toronto had a 15-11 edge in shots over New York (2-11-4) on the night, forcing Red Bulls' goalkeeper Danny Cepero to make a couple superb saves to keep the game close.

TFC rookie goalkeeper Stefan Frei made two saves for his third shutout in league play.

Nana Attakora, who had a strong night in place of Marvell Wynne, who is with the United States team at the Confederations Cup, had his first two assists of the season.

On the opening goal, Attakora one-timed a New York clearance back into the penalty area where Vitti ran onto it behind the defence. After being unable to settle it with his feet, the striker jumped and nodded the bouncing ball over Cepero who charged off his line but couldn't get there quick enough.

Vitti, a rookie from Argentina, said through an interpreter he was "relieved" to net his first, which came after countless good chances so far this season.

"Everyone was asking when I'd score the first goal, so finally the pressure off," Vitti explained of his post-goal celebration, in which he mockingly wiped himself clean by brushing his hands up and down his jersey as teammates mobbed him.

Vitti also joked that he hoped the team would keep wearing the pink jerseys they donned last night in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

On the second goal, Chad Barrett threaded a perfect left-footed cross from about 35 yards between two defenders to De Rosario just inside the New York penalty area. He settled the ball with his chest before flicking it over goalkeeper Cepero and into the open net.

For De Rosario, who had TFC's first hat trick in the Canadian championship clincher last week, it was his fifth goal of the season in league play, tying him with Amado Guevara for the team lead.

"It's definitely a sigh of relief because you have that 2-0 cushion," De Rosario said of the goal. "And, the way the defence saw the game out was first class."

TFC, which has won three straight – two in the league, one in the Canadian championship – now embark on a second half of the season in which they play 10 of their final 15 games on the road.

TFC is 5-23-7 all-time away from home, including 1-2-2 this season.

"We struggled last year but I think it's going to be different this year," Cummins said of the team's road-heavy second half. "We're quite confident.

"I think a lot of teams will look at us and think: `Wait a second, these lads are really kicking on.'"

FEELING THE LOVE: Prior to the game, TFC's first since winning the Canadian title in Montreal last week, two Mounties carried the Voyageurs Cup to midfield where captain Jim Brennan and DeRosario held it aloft to loud cheers.

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